My daughter just got a Rossi coach gun from her grandfather for Christmas, I had a ?

fast-eddie · December 28, 2009, 07:21 PM

Are the hammers supposed to touch all th way down on the firing pins? The don't seem to touch at all, I haven't shot it yet so I'm not sure. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

zippy13 · December 28, 2009, 09:50 PM

fast-eddie,
You're probably thinking of a percussion gun where the hammer physically strikes the cap. It's a little different with cartridge guns: After the firing pin strikes the primer, it rebounds back behind the breech face. Otherwise, it would rest in the newly formed primers indentations. The protruding pins would make opening the action difficult, possibly damage the firing pins, and make loading an exciting adventure. Typically, in modern guns, the hammers are stopped short. The hammer strike imparts enough inertia to the firing pin to ignite the primer. This may be why the Rossi's hammers don't seem to go fully down, there's a gap to give the firing pins room to rebound.

There's another scenario, some coach guns have been made with "phony" external hammers. They aren't truly hammers, but are cocking levers (made to look like hammers) for the internal "true" hammers. This is understandable because guns with true external hammers don't perform well when subjected to a modern "drop" safety test. Many old-time-looking modern hammer guns (Ruger SAs, Colt 1911s) have transfer blocks, or other devices to make them drop safe (or safer).

Mike U. · December 29, 2009, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Are the hammers supposed to touch all th way down on the firing pins?

No.

My Rossi Coach Gun's hammers don't touch the pins. They are the rebounding type. Good gun, BTW.

Might want to start out with some reduced recoil rounds though.
If yours is like mine, there is zip point nothing in the way of padding on that stock.

zippy13 · December 29, 2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TKeatinhunnybunz

rossi:barf:

Why the Rossi ralph?
When it comes to coach guns, Rossis are the most sought after.
I don't have a coach gun, but my little Rossi lever action carbine is nicely made and was a lot bang for the buck. And, given a choice, I prefer my import dollars go south instead of to Turkey, Siberia or China.

fast-eddie · December 29, 2009, 08:37 PM

I forgot to mention it's a 20 guage, I have never fired a coach gun and I'm not sure if the recoil is bad. I have an old Rem M11 in 20 guage I have been meaning to get to the smith to be resized. If it's too much for her I guess I have a new coach gun.

He baught her older brother a pump action 410 which would be better for her I'm thinking, but he wanted a pump. The kids loved them though they were very suprised, I smelled the oil throught the rapping paper.

zippy13 · December 30, 2009, 02:21 AM

Even in 20 ga, the little coach gun is going to have a noticeable recoil. I suggest you shop around and start her off with some low recoil loads. Fiocchi makes a super low recoil 3/4-oz low velocity trainer load. After she's okay with them, then you can move her up to standard 7/8-oz loads.

kimbershot · January 2, 2010, 11:16 PM

i bought a mint rossi 12 coach gun last yr. i had always wanted one cause i thought they were cool. gun was just about mint. the hammers are active--will strike firing pins upon pulling trigger. i was going to use it for home protection as you can store weapon loaded--just cock and go. got an offer to sell it to a cowboy shooter--at about 80% profit--hence i don't own the gun any longer. i didn't even get a chance to shoot it. oh well, i used proceeds and a few more bucks to buy a dan wesson valor that i shoot the snot out of.

i am looking at either a pump or semi auto for later in the year. thinking about a browning bps high capacity or a remington semi. the beat goes on.

hogdogs · January 3, 2010, 01:57 AM

Having watched this thread from the "get-go" I can say...
"WHAT A COOL GRAMPA!!!"
Mine taught me to shoot "tight" with the Red Ryder and then the '94 Winchester but the coolest gift I ever got from mine was a set of home built stilts... I loved 'em and walked many a mile on 'em... but they ain't no coach gun

Brent

December 28, 2009, 07:21 PM	#1
fast-eddie Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2009 Location: Tigard Or, Posts: 342	My daughter just got a Rossi coach gun from her grandfather for Christmas, I had a ? Are the hammers supposed to touch all th way down on the firing pins? The don't seem to touch at all, I haven't shot it yet so I'm not sure. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

December 28, 2009, 09:50 PM	#2
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	fast-eddie, You're probably thinking of a percussion gun where the hammer physically strikes the cap. It's a little different with cartridge guns: After the firing pin strikes the primer, it rebounds back behind the breech face. Otherwise, it would rest in the newly formed primers indentations. The protruding pins would make opening the action difficult, possibly damage the firing pins, and make loading an exciting adventure. Typically, in modern guns, the hammers are stopped short. The hammer strike imparts enough inertia to the firing pin to ignite the primer. This may be why the Rossi's hammers don't seem to go fully down, there's a gap to give the firing pins room to rebound. There's another scenario, some coach guns have been made with "phony" external hammers. They aren't truly hammers, but are cocking levers (made to look like hammers) for the internal "true" hammers. This is understandable because guns with true external hammers don't perform well when subjected to a modern "drop" safety test. Many old-time-looking modern hammer guns (Ruger SAs, Colt 1911s) have transfer blocks, or other devices to make them drop safe (or safer). Last edited by zippy13; December 29, 2009 at 12:51 PM. Reason: Added paragraph on "phony" external hammer guns

December 29, 2009, 08:37 PM	#5
fast-eddie Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2009 Location: Tigard Or, Posts: 342	20 guage I forgot to mention it's a 20 guage, I have never fired a coach gun and I'm not sure if the recoil is bad. I have an old Rem M11 in 20 guage I have been meaning to get to the smith to be resized. If it's too much for her I guess I have a new coach gun. He baught her older brother a pump action 410 which would be better for her I'm thinking, but he wanted a pump. The kids loved them though they were very suprised, I smelled the oil throught the rapping paper.

December 30, 2009, 02:21 AM	#6
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Even in 20 ga, the little coach gun is going to have a noticeable recoil. I suggest you shop around and start her off with some low recoil loads. Fiocchi makes a super low recoil 3/4-oz low velocity trainer load. After she's okay with them, then you can move her up to standard 7/8-oz loads.

January 2, 2010, 11:16 PM	#7
kimbershot Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2008 Posts: 121	i bought a mint rossi 12 coach gun last yr. i had always wanted one cause i thought they were cool. gun was just about mint. the hammers are active--will strike firing pins upon pulling trigger. i was going to use it for home protection as you can store weapon loaded--just cock and go. got an offer to sell it to a cowboy shooter--at about 80% profit--hence i don't own the gun any longer. i didn't even get a chance to shoot it. oh well, i used proceeds and a few more bucks to buy a dan wesson valor that i shoot the snot out of. i am looking at either a pump or semi auto for later in the year. thinking about a browning bps high capacity or a remington semi. the beat goes on.

January 3, 2010, 01:57 AM	#8
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Having watched this thread from the "get-go" I can say... "WHAT A COOL GRAMPA!!!" Mine taught me to shoot "tight" with the Red Ryder and then the '94 Winchester but the coolest gift I ever got from mine was a set of home built stilts... I loved 'em and walked many a mile on 'em... but they ain't no coach gun Brent